Soo... LJ is ammending their terms of service, and now have changed their "spam" definition to this:

SummaryNumerous identical or nearly identical unsolicited, unwanted comments or entries have been posted to various journals and/or communities.

ActionIf a journal owner or community maintainer believes a comment is spam, he or she should delete the content, and select the "Mark as Spam" option which will appear. This will submit a report to our spam management system, and will be included with any other reports against the same user (or IP address for anonymous comments). These reports are periodically reviewed and acted upon by the Abuse Prevention Team.

If it is determined that a user is spamming, they will receive a warning. Repeat offenses will lead to further action being taken. Accounts which exist primarily for the purpose of spamming will be permanently suspended.

ExplanationPeople almost unanimously agree that spam is unwanted, whether it be in the form of email, entries on their friends pages, or comments to their journal. Because of this, we believe it is appropriate to prohibit users of the service from posting a large number of unsolicited comments or entries.

For the most part I agree with the changes, but this whole idea of unsolicited commenting is really worrying me. Looks like, and I'm not trying to be egotistical here, but that they're ammending their terms of service to directly apply to me, in the situation that happened last month. Remember, where they basically threatened to cancel my journal and gave me a warning and all that with my nefarious behaviour of wishing people happy birthdays, and that I hope their day improved?

They weren't able to delete me then, because their own terms of service had nothing against commenting on others journals. This new proposal? It absolutely does. I know a lot of you had mentioned that you would have issues if I was deleted for something of this nature.. and it looks like they're setting it up for this very purpose now. So if you have issues with this, or some of the other things in the policies, PLEASE make your voice heard, because otherwise things are being done to LJ without your input.. and I feel we all should have our voice. Some of us have permanent, and paid accounts, and even if you don't, LJ is part of your community and part of your life.

Here's what I wrote:

" So, commenting on peoples ournals is considered spam now? Interesting how you're changing your terms of service to make commenting on someone's journal against the rules if it's "unsolicited". I think this is complete bs, and I have over 800 friends on my friends page who would agree, as every single one of them added me because of what you would consider "unsolicited" comments on their journal. I think you're opening a dangerous door here. Are people no longer allowed to talk to people who haven't added them all ready? I think that if someone doesn't want people to comment on their journal outside of their friendslist, then they should have a private journal.

And what about when LJ publishes LJ users entries in the "community" area for people to read and respond too? Doesn't that seem like even more of an invasion of privacy? I often hear about my LJ' friends friends birthdays and always go and wish them a happy birthday, or if I happen upon a journal where someone is having a bad day, I always write some little note of encouragement.. so now you're amending your policy to make that no longer allowed?

If someone doesn't want comments on their entries, they should make them private. Or disable commenting. It seems pretty simple to me. Why would you amend the terms of service in this way? To prevent the building of a livejournal communtiy of people that don't know each other.. to prevent potential friends? I thought that was the whole reason LJ was created? "

And I really think that you should all take a look at everything here, and how it relates to you, and you should make your voices heard too:

If this policy goes into effect, my journal will either be gone, or completely different then it's always been, because I'll no longer be able to go and comment to new people without running the risk of my journal being deleted. This means there won't be new journallers here, to converse with, and make friends with as I have seen many of you do over the years. It would be really sad to have to change how I operate this journal because of some people who are quick to mark anyone they don't know as spam if they comment to their entry. And you guys know me.. it's not like I'm out there swearing at people, or calling them names or pimping my ebay auctions. I'm just trying to spread some good cheer, because this world really needs it.

Exactly. And the random journal button? People keep commenting on my entry over there that it's about posting the same thing or something similar. So I guess I'll have to start talking about artichokes, and 70's films or something instead of offering encouragement.

That is a lot of hogwash!My best friends on LJ are those who were complete strangers, who came and commented on my journal. Since then, I've even met several of them, sometimes more than once. And, my dear, you can "spam" me any day! I guess some curmudgeonly grump somewhere isn't wanting to have anyone spreading around words of cheer in his business. Maybe he wants us all to be miserable? Angst makes for better blogging?

Thanks sweetie. *hugs* I'm not even pissed anymore. Just dejected, and sad about the state of things. They appear to have changed their policy to directly effect me, and it sure sounds reminiscent of the conversations I had in email with them last month. What a dick move.

and if they are discouraging this contact between strangers, why do they have a "random journal" link to anyone in the system? They are limiting what even they call the "community" and its not even because the spam is an ad or something, youre a real person responding to these real situations. gah, i understand your frustration.

Exactly! *hugs* It just makes me sad, because now on fear of being suspended/terminated I'm not going to be able to reach out in little ways to people anymore. It just seems unfair, when I know that many people have appreciated those few words from a stranger.

Sooooooooooooooooooo stupid! Looks like LJ got some bad advice of their own. If you get a comment you don't want, ignore/delete, move on with your life. Why are people so spazzy? It made my day when you commented to wish me a happy anniversary. Strangers being nice for no goood reason is one of my most favorite things e-var!

"I think that if someone doesn't want people to comment on their journal outside of their friendslist, then they should have a private journal."

You hit the nail on the head there. That is why we have the options to make our entries "Private" or "Friends Only". If you are posting on the internet...then you are posting on the internet! If that bothers you, go write it in your diary and keep under your bed. >:(

I think they are trying to encourage people to make use of the "messaging system" they've set up (which sucks) so you can say/read things privately without them being said on a journal where all the world and GOD can read them! **aghast**

Now, of course, the SANE people do one of several things if they are worried about being spammed/flamed on LJ:Friends OnlyScreened CommentsDisable Comments

But, really, look around you... how many LJ users are ACTUALLY sane, thinking, thoughtful people who understand how Teh Internets work? Apparently not the majority, otherwise we wouldn't need regulated by the Overseer if all those people complaining could regulate themselves.

zomgwtfbbq...like, where would we get all of r e-drama? And, like, having a private journal means you have to click on sum clicky thing. That is like, totally lame. LJ staff should totally monitor my journal, kick out all the people I don't like from the site and ban the journals from people who do not think kitteh's are 10x cuter than puppies!!!1!! LJ should totally like think for me too.

YOU GO!! i completely agree with you here. i mean what would be the point? isnt that how you find bew people to add?? its how you found me! i dont want this to happen either, especially if youd be deleted! so ill do what i can!

There's an option you can select that allows only people on your f'list to comment. If someone doesn't want random people commenting, they should select that option!

I don't think that would exclude all unsolicited comments. Only those that are "identical or nearly identical" and posted to multiple journals. However, I do agree that that should be written more clearly. For example, there should be a clear time frame involved. 20 identical comments in the span of an hour could, perhaps, be considered spam, depending on the context of the comment, but 20 such comments over the span of a year?

Well, I certainly comment more then that a year, with things such as "Get well soon" or "I hope tomorrow is a better day for you." that's how I talk. How is that spammy if someone posts about not feeling well, or being depressed? Isn't that just reaching out to a fellow person in need?